Thursday, January 10, 2013

Mamajewel's Handmade Jems Review & Giveaway

The winner is Alessandra Perkins Peterson! Congrats Alessandra

You may use cloth for your little one, but do you use cloth for yourself? I know what you may be thinking, "ew". I'm sure comes naturally when you think of using cloth for yourself, but is it really any different than using cloth on your child? Unless we have reached a certain age or you are taking medication to effect your monthly visitor, we all have to deal with a slightly inconvenient week, once a month, so why not save money on feminine products that will cost us between $6-$15 every single month?

Mama Cloth is becoming more and more popular, being used by mothers and non mothers alike. When I first heard about Mama Cloth I was intrigued but I didn't pursue it since at that time my son was still very young and my body was still recouping after childbirth. As the months went by I will admit that I haven't really thought about Mama Cloth until I had joined a cloth diapering Facebook group and virtually met Julie, the owner of Mamajewel's Handmade Jems. After browsing her Etsy shop and Facebook page I became instantly interested in switching myself to Mama Cloth.

Julie is a stay at home mom of four little boys. She began teaching herself to sew by starting off making cloth wipes and blankets. Before she knew it she had taught herself to make cloth diapers! Soon after cloth diapers Julie moved on to making Mama Cloth and it quickly became her favorite thing to create. She creates her Mama Cloth using cotton, suede, zorb, flannel, and fleece, making sure that she is not only creating quality cloth, but that it is super absorbent as well. Fleece is also a moisture barrier that is breathable and will repel less odor than using disposable pads.

Mamajewel's Handmade Jems generously sent two Super Mama Cloths and one Regular Mama Cloth for me to test out. When I opened the package I was really please to find that they were the size of regular menstrual pads with approximately the same thickness as well. They were very soft and seemed like they would do their job! The Mama Cloth is topped with suede cloth, backed with a layer of fleece, while the middle is inserted with zorb. The regular pad has one layer of zorb and the supers have two layers of zorb for extra protection.

They have two different snaps so that you can adjust depending on how secure you would like it around your panties. I couldn't get Baby A's hands out of the pictures so he generously pointed to the snaps for you! Because of the fleece backing, the Mama Cloth does not move on your panties, but with the help of the snaps it will insure that it stays where it belongs!

When I was finally able to test out my Mama Cloth, I will admit that at first I didn't like it. Being cloth, it obviously has a very different feel and it took a bit of time to get use to. Halfway through my monthly visitor I started to get use to the Mama Cloth and became a fan. Mama Cloth is not only softer than the menstrual pads you would buy at the store, but it also seemed to be more absorbent. **TMI ALERT** You know how when you're wearing a normal menstrual pad you can sort of feel the moisture? (I know, I'm sorry!!!). Well with Mama Cloth, you feel dry the entire time! By the end of my monthly visitor I vowed to never buy another store bought menstrual pad again!

So you may be thinking. What do you do when the Mama Cloth is used? You can do a few different things depending on your flow. If you have a heavy flow it has been recommended that you rinse out your Mama Cloth before putting it in a pail or wet bag until it is time to do wash. If you have a light to moderate flow, rolling up the Mama Cloth and placing it in the wet bag until it is time for washing will be sufficient. I left my wet bag in the bathroom so when I needed to make a switch, everything I needed was in one spot. To care for your Mama Cloth simply wash it on hot and dry it on hot! It is recommended to use a Cloth Menstrual Pad Detergent but any detergent that is cloth diaper okay will be Mama Cloth okay as well. You may bleach your Mama Cloth if necessary but is not recommended to use fabric softeners.

Now that I have made the switch to Mama Cloth I have found that a lot of women that I know actually use it as well! It is great to know others who have made the switch to cloth for not only their children, but for themselves as well. I highly recommend that you snag a couple for yourself and see if it is something that will work with your lifestyle! Not only will you be saving money, but you will be more comfortable during that one week a month that you probably aren't very fond of!

The Giveaway will close late on the evening of January 24th. The winner will be chosen at random through Rafflecopter which uses Random.org. The winner will be announced both on Rafflecopter as well as MCO’s Facebook. The winner will have their prize sent to them by Mamajewel's Handmade Jems. Must be 18 years and older. Mommys Craft Obsession is not responsible for the prize shipment. US Only.

*This review is 100% original and in my own words. Everything written is from my own personal view point and opinions, what works for me, may not work for you. All photos have been taken by me unless stated otherwise. I have been provided with product to review by Mamajewel's Handmade Jems however I have not been compensated monetarily for this review.

I started using them right after the birth of my first Child. I told myself that If I could put my daughter in Cloth then I could try Cloth and I found out I LOVED them. Im a super clean person who can shower up to 3 times a day ( i hate being dirty) But I found this didnt make me sweat, It was super absorbant and didnt smell. Everything That when that time of the month comes around I fear.

I have ordered a few mama cloth pads to try out, but found out I was pregnant right after they arrived. :) So, I haven't tried them out yet, and I hope I am not able to until July! I think they are so much better for our bodies and our environment, as they don't contain harsh chemicals and won't stay in the dump sites for possibly hundreds of years like the plastic store bought pads.

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